Gas-burner attachment for vehicle-lamps and the like.



J. FERGUSON. GAS BURNER ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE LAMPS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1911.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. DJL

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN FERGUSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAS-BURNER ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE-LAMPS AND THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Gas-Burner Attachments for Vehicle- Lamps and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gas-burner attachments for vehicle lamps and the like, and comprises means whereby a gas burner, particularly an acetylene burner, may be applied to existing oil-burning carriage and other vehicle lamps and the like, without displacing the oil burner, and without interfering with the use of the oil burner when desired.

My improved burner attachment is particularly intended for use in connection with side and tail lamps of motor vehicles. Such vehicles commonly have acetylene headlights, but the side lights and tail light are inmost cases oil-burning lamps. Such oil-burning lamps are well known to be apt to be extinguished by a strong wind or violent jar, and besides are disagreeable to care for, are apt to smoke, and frequently emit a disagreeable odor. Obviously, an acetylene burner, the flame of which will remain burning even in very strong winds, and which is clean and odorless, is a desirable substitute for such oil burners, particularly when the vehicle is already equipped for supplying acetylene to other lamps, such as the headlights.

' The object of my invention is to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive gas burner attachment for lamps such as referred to, which may be applied readily to existing lamps, and which shall not interfere with the use of the oil burner of the lamp, when such use is desired.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In said drawings :-Figure 1 shows a front view of an oil-burning vehicle lamp of wellknown type, fitted with my new gas-burner attachment, the front door of the lamp being shown as open, to expose the gas-burner attachment to view. Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section of the lamp so provided with my gas-burner attachment, the said attachment being shown in plan in this view. Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1911.

Patented Feb. 20,1912.

Serial No. 665,428.

3 shows a vertical section of my improved gas-burner attachment, Fig. 4: a side view thereof, and Fig. 5 a top view of an alternative form of attachment, differing slightly from that shown in the previous views. Fig. 6 shows a side elevation and partial section of an alternative form of the device.

In the drawings, 1 designates the vehiclev lamp body, 2 the customary removable oilfont thereof, and 3 the customary flameguard of the oil-burner of the lamp.

My improved burner attachment comprises a spring clip 4, adapted to surround and grasp the flame guard 3, and consisting of two curved jaws which grasp the flame guard 3 between them by spring action; an elbow pipe fitting 5; secured rigidly to said clip 4; a burner tip 6, seated in the upper end of the elbow 5; and a gas supply pipe 7, secured to the other end of the elbow 5. This pipe 7 commonly projects through a suitable opening formed in'the side of the lamp body 1, and at its outer end may be connected to a gas generator or tank by a flexible rubber tube or by other suitable means.

The burner tip 6 is of ordinary construction, the particular construct-ion shown being one common in the case of acetylene tips; and while such tip may be mounted directly in the mouth of the elbow 5, as shown in Fig. 6, by preference it is mounted in screw-nut 8, screwing into the mouth of elbow 5. Such mounting of the burner tip is desirable, because it facilitates the removal of one tip and the insertion of another, also because it facilitates turning of the tip for adjustment of the plane of the flame with respect to the glasses or reflectors of the lamp body 1.

In applying my burner attachment to an existing lamp, the oil font 2 of such lamp, with the attached oil burner, will be removed, a hole formed in the side of the lamp body for the reception of the pipe 7, and then the pipe 7 will be thrust through such hole, and the oil font 2 replaced, the spring clip 4: passing over the flame guard 3 as the oil font is pushed up into position and secured in place. The gas burner is then held in place securely by engagement of the clip 4 with the flame guard 3. Since the clip 4 has spring jaws, which, however, are of such temper that they may be bent or pushed together or separated at will, said clip is readily adjusted to different sizes and shapes of flame guards, and in most cases is self-adjusting to such guards. Owing to the yielding grip with which said clip holds to the flame guard, said grip will not be shaken loose by the jar and shock incident to use.

In most cases, the axis of the spring clip 4 is in line with the axis of the tube 7 and when, as is customarily the case, the hole in the lamp body for the passage of pipe 7 is formed near one corner of the lamp body, this results in the location of the gas burner about midway between the back and side reflector of the lamp body, but out of the focus of each reflector; location of the burner out of the focus of the reflector being desirable, in the case of side and tail lamps having so brilliant a source of illumination as even a small acetylene flame. But in some cases, and as shown in Fig. 5, the spring clip i is set somewhat to one side, which results in a more nearly central location of the burner within the lamp body. In whatever position the burner be set, it does not interfere in the least with the use of the oil burner, when use of such burner is desired. In general it is desirable to retain the oil burners for use in case of derangement or exhaustion of the acetylene lighting system. of the vehicle.

I am aware that various combination oil and gas and oil and electric vehicle lamps have been proposed heretofore, and therefore do not claim broadly an attachment for applying a gas burner to an oil lamp.

What I claim is 1. A gas burner attachment for oil burning vehicle lamps and the like, comprising a spring clip consisting of separable spring a\vs adapted to embrace between them the flame guard of an oil burner and a gas c011- duit secured to said clip and having an upright terminal portion, and a burner tip fitted to the mouth of said terminal portion.

2. A gas burner attachment for oil burning vehicle lamps and the like, comprising a spring clip consisting of separable spring jaws adapted to embrace between them the flame guard ot' an oil burner, an elbow pipe fitting secured to said clip, one side of said elbow being upright, a burner tip fitted to the mouth of said upright portion, and a gas conduit connected to the other side of said elbow.

A gas burner attachment for oil burning vehicle lamps and the like, comprising a spring clip consisting of separable spring jaws adapted to embrace between them the flame guard of an oil burner, a gas conduitsecured to said clip and having an upright terminal portion, and a hollow nut screwing into the mouth of said upright terminal portion and carrying a burner tip.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN FlRGUSON.

W'itnesses H. M. MARBLE, E. S. Ross.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C. 

